He Stayed
by DestinChild
Summary: A smile grew on Snow white's face as a smirk appeared on his. He had stayed and hopefully, if she was truly lucky, he had stayed for her. First chapter is from Snow White's pov and the second is from the Huntsman's
1. He Stayed

**My first and probably only Snow White and the Huntsman story. My siblings and I watched this movie and after they expressed their displeasure at the ambiguity of the ending I was inspired to write this.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of them, but I would like to point out that I have first dibs on Chris Hemsworth if he becomes available.**

She hadn't expected to see him standing there in the back of the great hall. Of course he hadn't been doing what she expected since before the former Queen had been defeated. After they arrived at the Duke's castle she expected him to leave. She might have appeared dead when they arrived at the castle, but there was no reason for him to stick around. Then again if he hadn't she wouldn't be sitting on the thrown now. She might have even been buried at this point, doomed to spend an eternity asleep in the ground. She suppressed a shiver at the thought.

But he had stayed and he had kissed her. Whether he knew it or not, he had saved her again by kissing her. Hearing his speech as he tried valiantly to say goodbye brought tears to her eyes, even in sleep. When he kissed her, she had felt his tears on her cheek and as she awoke his tears mingled with hers as they slid down to be absorbed into the furs she had been laid upon. She realized that he was her true love and as she gave her speech to the Duke's men she wished with everything she was that he would be there with her. That he would be there to help her face the Queen.

Figuring that that was his final goodbye to her, she was surprised when he joined her on the front lines outside the Queen's castle. She didn't want to read too much into his compliment on how she appeared in chain mail. She believed him to just be teasing her, as he had done throughout their acquaintance. Unbeknownst to her he had meant the compliment.

When she faced the Queen finally, she did not have to turn around when the doors burst open. She knew that he would have followed her, if only to ensure that she made it to the Queen. He was one of the few who knew that she was the only one who could defeat the Queen. After the Queen died, brought down by the very knife that he had given her for protection, she turned and there he was kneeling on the ground. He was clearly exhausted from the fight, but he was alive and her heart rejoiced. It also broke because now that the Queen was dead, there was nothing to keep him with her.

The kingdom rejoiced when their long imprisoned Princess was restored to the throne that was rightfully hers all along. As reward for their help she gave every dwarf enough riches to last two lifetimes each. William and the Duke were restored to their place in her court. As for the him, she offered him the hundred gold pieces she had originally promised him. He had smiled, but declined before walking off. She had been confused at first, but then rationalized that his guilt over her perceived death must have kept him from accepting his promised reward. She wished that she could go after him and tell him that she did not blame him, but in fact thanked him for saving her. She also wished that she could tell him that it was his kiss that had saved her, but he was gone before she could.

The coronation went as planned and Snow White now sat on the throne as the Queen. As everyone cheered she looked around the room, meeting the eyes of all her old and new friends. The dwarfs, who were dressed in finery with metals for their service bringing down the evil Queen. William and his father, who finally could stand tall again because they had finally rescued Snow White. Snow's eyes swept the room again, but the one pair of eyes she hoped to see were not there. Her smile faded till she saw movement in the back of the hall. Looking up there he was, the Huntsman. The man who had tried to kill her, who had ditched her, who had come back to her, who had saved her countless times, and who had refused anything in return. A smile grew on Snow white's face as a smirk appeared on his. He had stayed and hopefully, if she was truly lucky, he had stayed for her.


	2. Won't Leave

**My first and probably only Snow White and the Huntsman story. My siblings and I watched this movie and after they expressed their displeasure at the ambiguity of the ending I was inspired to write this.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of them, but I would like to point out that I have first dibs on Chris Hemsworth if he becomes available.**

He crept into the ceremony, finding it just about over as he came in. There she was, sitting pristinely atop the throne that had been her birthright. She looked perfect up there, but he could tell that something was off with her. They had grown close in their short time together and he could tell that something was bothering his new Queen.

Some would find it strange that he was there. The man would had originally been hired to kill this young woman. A job he had readily accepted when the evil Queen promised to restore his wife to him. But that had been a lie. He was going to leave her then, after killing the Queen's men and injuring her brother. But this girl followed him and begged him to help her. He wanted to shout no, in fact he had refused, but the girl's logic had been sound and he knew that had his wife been alive she would have despised him for leaving this girl on her own in the forest. So he said he would help her get to the Duke's castle in exchange for one hundred gold pieces.

He first realized he was in trouble when they were attacked by the troll. Unlike most women, who would have run at the sight, this one stayed and stood up to the beast, screaming at it as it approached his stunned body. The beast had stared at her and surprisingly it had been the beast that had backed off. He stared at the retreating back of the beast and then at his companion, who looked just as surprised. When he had yelled at her, she didn't flinch back from, instead standing up to him and telling him that he was alive because of her. In that moment he recognized the same spirit in this strange woman as the one that his wife had possessed.

When they came upon the village of scarred women he finally found out who this young woman was. That was when he figured it was time for him to leave. He was developing an attachment to the rightful Queen and nothing could come of it. So, he left her with the women, trusting that they would help her get to the Duke. He didn't care that he hadn't gotten his promised reward. It no longer mattered to him. When he saw the village burning from afar a sick feeling twisted his gut. He had left her there and because of that the women, children, and their village were under attack. So, he went back for her because he knew he couldn't not.

Then they ran into the dwarfs. She promised them rewards as well and immediately told them who she was. He had hoped that she wouldn't share the knowledge with them. It would be harder to safe guard her if any of the dwarfs were to betray them. But they cut them down and all of them fled into the forest. That was when he realized he really had a thing for the rightful Queen. He couldn't take his eyes off her as she danced with Gus and something in his body ached to be the one hugging her and teaching her how to dance. Something that someone of her station should have been taught long ago. Something that was bringing a delighted smile to her face.

When they ran into the Duke's son William, he knew that someone above was laughing at him. First his wife was taken from him. Then a woman who so reminded him of his dead beloved was dangled in front of him, tempting him with his lost happy ending. But of course the Princess already had an admirer. Someone who had clearly loved her since they were young children. So, he had suppressed his feelings and encouraged William to pursue the woman they both cared for. When she 'died' and William's kiss had failed to bring her back he was convinced that she was truly dead, for surely William was her true love.

He refused to break his promise to her and despite her being dead, he along with the dwarfs and William, brought the Princess to the Duke's castle. The people there mourned their dead princess, but none more then him. He hadn't been able to protect her. He had failed her as he had failed his wife. He said his goodbye and if it was going to be his only chance, he gave her a kiss and left. Before he could leave the castle though he heard her voice ring out in the still of the night. In shock he watched as this vision in white spoke to every man, woman, and child, and called them to arms. He bowed down before the Queen he saw within this young woman.

Outside the evil Queen's castle he finally made it to her side. If he was going to war he was going to go with this woman by his side. She seemed almost shocked to see him there beside her, but he brushed it off. Instead, admiring her in the chain mail and armor she was sporting. To him the chain mail reflected the strength she had within, her loyalty and her perseverance.

He followed her when she went after the Queen and he held off the guards made of mirrors as she fought against the evil Queen. When all was said and done, he kneeled exhausted on the floor and looked up to see his Princess looking at him. Both checking each other over for injuries. He smiled at her. They had both made it.

When all had settled down and the coronation was only two days away, his Princess, soon to be Queen, offered him his promised reward, but he couldn't accept it. He had already taken too much from her. She had not only saved him, but she was his true love, as was proven when she had awoken from his kiss. It hadn't taken him long to put two and two together and conclude that it had been his kiss that broke the spell, not William's. So, he wandered around the castle grounds and thought about what to do. He was her true love, but she may not have figured that out. If he left now then she could have a life with William, who was better suited for a Queen then a broken and damaged Huntsman. But when he thought this all he could think of was his wife and how if she could see him now, her ghost would be smacking him and telling him to stop being an ass and to go get his happy ending.

So, the day of the coronation, he donned the same leathers, now clean, he had been wearing when they had met. He slicked his still wet hair into a ponytail and walked into the great hall. There in the front of the room was Snow White. As her eyes met his, he smirked and she smiled. He was there and he planned on staying for a very long time.


End file.
